and michigan's governor signs the state's controversial new right-to-work law, but not before labor activists protest throughout the capital. captioning funded by cbs this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, december 12, 2012. good morning, everybody. i'm terrell brown. good to be with you. oregon officials have tentatively identify the gunman who opened fire at a business shopping mall. christmas music was playing as the lone gunman fired shots yesterday afternoon near the food court at one of portland's largest shopping malls. the gunman killed two people and seriously wounded another before taking his own life. one witness heard him say, "i am the shooter," as he fired dozens of rounds into the machlt bigad shaban is live. good morning to you. >> reporter: terrell, good morning to you. it's an eerie and quiet scene here. it's a much different scene than yesterday when that masked

gunman began firing inside one of the busiest malls in the portland area. cell phone video shows police escorting shoppers to safety, and the first moments after a masked gunman opened fire in a oregon mall. >> it was scary. i don't know. it was shocking. >> our cousin is a security guard in there, and his wife and baby were in there, but they got out okay. >> reporter: s.w.a.t. team members swooped in to find the shooter and protect shoppers inside. >> we had people at the mall within minutes. >> they just escorted us out, told us to keep low, women and children first, the whole standard procedure. >> police were armed and yelling at us to close the gate, so we closed gate. >> reporter: authorities say the gunman opened fire near the clackamas center mall just outside portland. they say he killed two people before turning the gun on himself. >> these things richardsonet supposed to happen. >> reporter: the mall is huge, 1.4 million square feet.

because of its size, the sheriff's department says it will have to keep the mall closed today in order to do a thorough investigation. >> in a complete search we look in every closet, every room that we can get into, so it's going to be an exhaustive search. >> reporter: there are also hundreds of witnesses to interview. >> you get twen different people who saw the same incident, and they're going to given you ten different versions of it. we as law enforcement officers, our job is to collect that information and make it into a cohesive idea of what actually occurred. >> reporter: police have tentatively identified the gunman but have not yet released his name. and the mall here will remain closed at least through wednesday. and, terrell, people have already begun laying flowers and candles around the country. >> bigad shaban in portland. for us this morning. thank you so much. meanwhile overseas north korea successfully launched a long-range missile this morning. the white house called the launch a highly provocative act.

the north koreans have appeared to put an object into orbit. they say it was for peaceful purposes. u.s. says they believe it's a cover to deliver nuclear weapons. the test defies international warnings and it's likely to bring new sanctions against the north. to the fiscal cliff now, leaders in washington have less than three weeks to reach a budget deal or else face automatic spending cuts and tax increases that are likely to send the country back into a recession. the agreement has been slow. president obama and congressional republicans remain split on raising taxes on upper middle-class americans. susan mcginnis is in washington with the latest now. susan, good morning to you. >> hi. good morning, terrell. both sides are talking publicly about what they want. the gop pushing back against that. but privately negotiations do continue. in an exclusive interview airing on abc's "20/20" this friday night, president obama says he's

optimistic a deal will be reached, and he's confident the gop won't hold the middle-class taxes hostage to protect higher income americans. >> taxes are going to go up one way or the other, and think the key is to make sure the taxes go up on higher individuals like you and me, barbara. we can afford it. >> reporter: earlier on tuesday the president and house speaker john boehner shared a phone call to discuss the latest republican proposal. it comes after the obama administration lowered its request for new tax revenue from $1.6 trillion in over ten years to 1.4 trillion. but before the call boehner was critical of the president. >> right now the american people have to be scratching their heads and wondering when is the president going to get serious. >> the economic uncertainty comes at a time when retailers are hoping for strong holiday sales. the prospect of higher taxes for all americans threatens to sink consumer confidence. >> the specifics of the deal are

not as important to us as getting a deal. >> now, in that abc news interview with barbara walters, the president said he thinks the american people will be better off with a done deal. harry reid who's a senate majority leader says he does not expect a deal before christmas. terrell. >> we'll have to see. susan mcginnis in washington. thank you so much. today in morocco, they opened a meeting to discuss the syrian crisis. they're expecting to give them null political recognition during that same interview set to air on friday night on "20/20," president obama says it's a big move. >> the syrian opposition coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the syrian population that we consider them the legitimate representative of the syrian people. >> the president also told abc's barbara walters that with that recognition comes responsibility. clarissa ward has more on the opposition now from london.

>> reporter: this is the man chosen to lead a newly formed coalition of syria's opposition groups. >> what does it mean to be recognized by the u.s.? the u.s. administration has big influence globally he told us. a step like that would pull the rug from under the regime on all levels, politically, economically, and militarily. the damascus foreign cleric has long been opposed to the government. he's been jailed numerous times. in july he finally fled to cairo. now he travels the world asking for international support for syria's opposition. do you feel that the international community has done enough to help syria? >> no. the international community fell short in its support to the syrian people, he said, but it is starting to wake up now. so far, though, the u.s. has refused to arm the rebels because of concerns about the

rising role of islamic extremists and the rebellious. i think the media has exaggerated this whole issue, he said. we spent quite a bit of time inside syria. on the ground, we've seen extremists operating. the media has been reporting that there are terrorists and radical groups, he said, but we have not seen concrete evidence to support such claims yet. would you like to be the president of syria? >> i am not thinking about that now. >> but with rebels closing in on the capital, the question of who takes over from the regime is an urgent one. there is still a huge gulf between the many political groups operating outside of syria on behalf of the syrian opposition and the multitude of armed rebel groups inside the country and trying to unite such a fractured opposition is a huge

undertaking. some people are taking that al ka deed because he has no political experience will really struggle to achieve this goal. other people are saying exactly the opposite, that precisely because he's not a politician, he may be someone that all of these different groups can get behind. but only time will tell. clarissa ward, cbs news, london. ravi shankar who helped introduce indian music to the west has died. ♪ shankar died yesterday in california. he had undergone heart surgery last week. shankar and his long-necked stringed instrument became famous in the west after he played with the beatles in the 1960s. he went on playing with top pop and jazz musicians in that era. ravi shankar was 92 years old. coming up on the "morning

ne news" on a wednesday, union fight. mass protests as michigan pass as bill that deals a major blow to organized labor. this is the "cbs morning news." , 2 kids, 43 bottles of olay total effects and many birthdays later, still looks amazing. thanks to the trusted performance of olay. still looks amazing. online outfit piccolo headphones buy now broadway show megapixels place to sleep little roadster war and peace deep sea diving ninja app hipster glasses 5% cash back sign up to get 5% everywhere online through december. only from discover. very sore looking kinda blistery. it was like a red rash... like somebody had set a bag of hot charcoal on my neck. i was a firefighter for 24 years. but, i have never encountered such a burning sensation until i had the shingles. i remember it well. i was in the back yard doing yard work. i had this irritation going on in my lower neck. i changed shirts because i thought there was something

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the top of one world trade the top of one world trade center has been offloaded from a barge and is now in lower manhattan. the massive steel spire is in nine pieces, the largest weighing 70 tons. it's expected to be sitting on the tallest building in the western hemisphere sometime into spring. michigan's governor has signed into law two bills making michigan the 24th right-to-work state. they were abashed in organized labor for decades. randall pinkston reports. >> reporter: police clash with union supporters who are angry over new legislation that makes michigan a right-to-work state. >> one of them grabbed me by the head. an another one sprayed me right in the face. >> reporter: from the floor to the rafters inside the capitol building protesters shouted

"shame on you" as michigan's controlled republican house passed the bill. union members fear it will hurt wages and benefits and set a dangerous precedent nationwide. >> cheap labor, not even a living wage, i'm sure. can you live on $10 an hour? >> reporter: the new law means private sector workers don't have to pay union dues while getting union representation. backers say it creates more jobs and gives workers more freedom. >> it is the principle that people should not be forced to join a union or any organization if they do not wish to. >> reporter: the demonstration did not die down even after lawmakers passed the legislation. protesters swarmed rick snyder's office building tuesday demanding that he veto the bill, but the republican governor signed them into law. randall pinkston, cbs news, michigan. "cbs moneywatch" time now on a wednesday. a scandal and a $50 cup of coffee, but you might not want to know how it's made.

ashley morrison here in new york with more. good morning. >> you really don't. good morning to you, too, terrell. asian stocks got strength. tokyo's nikkei added half a percent to its highest closing in nearly eight months while hong kong's hang seng gained nearly 1%. wall street remains hopeful that washington will reach a budget deal. the dow added 78 points while the nasdaq gained 35. authorities in britain have arrested three people in connection with the manipulation of the libor interest rate. the arrest follows an investigation launched this summer after barclays bank was fined more than $400 million for falsifying reports related to the libor. the rate indirectly affects consumer borrowing, things like cars and home loans. beyonce is the new face of pepsi. the singer inked a deal worth a reported $50 million to promote the soft drink. pepsi will issue a limited edition can featuring beyonce. they're also sponsoring her

performance at halftime at the super bowl. and one of the priciest cups of joe in the world comes courtesy of some supersized baristas. they feed the beans to herds of el familiarities in thailand who digest them and pass them through their system, if you know what i mean. after that they collect the used beans. oh, come on. they're brewed into a blend that costs 500 bucks a pound. >> she's drinking it. >> oh, don't do it, don't do it. the price comes to $50 a cup. the makers say the process eliminates the coffee's bitterness. that sounds delicious. >> doesn't it? the business is gone, but i wonder how it smells. i bet it tastes like -- >> i know. got you. >> ashley morrison here in new york. ashley, good to see you. thank you so much. before i throw up, let's take a break. your wednesday morning weather coming up. and in sports, a ruling in the saints pay-for-pain scandal.

former commissioner paul tagliabue lifts the players' suspension but not the blame. ene headache days a month, you miss out on your life. you may have chronic migraine. go to mychronicmigraine.com to find a headache specialist. and don't live a maybe life. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno.

[ male announcer ] with free package pickup from the u.s. postal service the holidays are easy. visit usps.com. pay, print, and have it picked up for free before december 20h for delivery in time for the holidays. you can even give us special instructions on where to find it. free package pickup. from the u.s. postal service. because it's nice to have an extra pair of hands around for the holidays. here's a look at the weather. clouds and sun in miami, 82. mostly sunny in chicago, 40. sunny in dallas, 56. afternoon showers in l.a., 63 degrees. let's check your national forecast. another storm is hitting the west.

rain and mountain snow will start in the northwest and push down into southern california. thunderstorms will roll across parts of florida. the rest of the south should be dry along with the midwest and the northeast. in sports this morning a smackdown in the saints bounty scandal. former commissioner paul tagliabue ruled. the ruling is seen as a review of roger goodell. tagliabue says they engaged in moves detrimental to the league. he laid the blame on the play-for-pain scandal on the coaches. in a statement the nfl says it recollects his decision. in basketball the battle for new york is on. the knicks' carmelo anthony on fire against the nets draining a season-high 45 points. with time running out, gerald wallace misses the three to tie the score and then deron williams fires from downtown and his shot bounces off the rim. knicks are going to win this one, 100-97 over the nets. the l.a. clippers are on a roll. blake griffin knocks down his first three of the season.

tice in the second quarter. then in the fourth, he comes one the steal and finishes with a monster jam. clippers down chicago, 94-89. they've now won seven in a row. when we come back, congratulations are in order. next year's inductees into the rock and roll hall of fame are announced. we'll tell you who's in. ♪ ooh barracuda means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb.

ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you. killing two people and than himself. what we're now leag about the suspect. plus: a bay area city losess only fire station. how long it's going to take to get hp now. and mother nature's power on display. the dramatic tides expected to be pounding the california coast this morni. join us for cbs 5 eyewitness news this morning... beginng at 4:30. ,,,,

here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. sun and 47 in washington. partly sunny in denver, 55. morning showers in seattle. 45 degrees. this morning we're learning new details about the plane crash that killed mexican superstar jenni rivera. mexican officials say the jet plunged almost vertically from 28,000 feet on sunday, hitting the ground at more than 600

miles per hour. so far it's unclear what caused the learjet to nosedive. rivera and six others died in the crash. the 78-year-old pilot had a valid mexican pilot's license. venezuelan leader hugo chavez is recovering from surgery this morning. he had an operation monday to stop an aggressive form of cancer, his fourth since 2011. his vice president was chosen by chavez to be his successor. he said the surgery was completely successful. chavez will be sworn in for a new six-year term on january 10th. in west virginia, a massive inferno as a gas line exploded. huge flames shot into the air, melting an 800-foot stretch of interstate 77. the blast happened tuesday afternoon in a small town north of charleston. at least nine homes were damaged or destroyed. no one was killed but several people were treated for smoke inhalation. the cause is under investigation. and the official 2013 inductees to the rock and roll hall of fame were announced. ♪ ooh barracuda

rockers heart will join next year's rush. albert king, singer randy newman and queen of disco donna summer who passed way this year will be inducted in the hall of fame in april. coming up, a preview of the star-studded concert to benefit the victims of hurricane sandy. this is the "morning news." you'll have to remind your family they can use less. it's made with extra cushions that are soft and more absorbent. plus you can use four times less. charmin ultra soft. i get congested. but now, with zyrtec-d®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. zyrtec-d® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. no prescription needed. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. have led to an increase intands clinical depression.

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this saturday is reach across america day. it's this saturday is reach across america day. it's a day when wreath laying ceremonies will be held at arlington's national cemetery and semtrary all across the 50 states. it started two decades ago with a company in main. >> he's been running this wreath-making business in maine for 42 years.

back in 1992 worcester had a surplus of wreaths and great idea about what to do. >> as a boy i won a trip to washington, and one of the things i saw was our arlington national cemetery and i just never forgot that. and then when i had the wreaths left over, i said, gees, it would be nice if i could place them on the graves of the veterans. >> reporter: so worcester headed to arlington national cemetery to lay 5,000 wreaths. >> the first 14 years, nobody really knew about it. it was a family gift to the military. i said, you know, we'll always do that. and we always have. >> reporter: in 2006 a pentagon photographer published a photo. donations poured in. and the nonprofits reach aid cross america was born. karen worcester is his wife. >> it's not unusual to have the phone ring and he'd pick up the phone and the person on the the other end would begin to

sob, and they could just hardly get out, "thank you for remembering." >> it's the face of freedom right there. >> reporter: 21-year-old specialist dustin harris was killed by a bomb in iraq in 2006. james trout is his grandfather. >> most of our men and women after 9/11, they had a commitment. that's what dustin had a commitment. >> reporter: now trout is also committed to serve as a volunteer. >> it's the circle of life really. it's round and has a nice red bow. it's just a symbol of life. that's what it is. >> reporter: now more than 100,000 volunteers are placing wreaths at 800 veterans memorials and cemeteries ending on saturday at arlington. >> when you think about that kind of impact, you don't say wow? a man of few words, whose work

speaks of remembrance, sacrifice, and honor. michelle miller, cbs news, columbia falls, maine. coming up on cbs news, we'll go to clackamas, oregon, to the latest on the mall shooting that left three dead. plus talks from fiscal cliff. we'll hear from nancy employee. and more on the suspensions tossed out. we'll talk with the executive director of the nfl players' association. that and more coming up later on "cbs this morning." that is the news for this wednesday. 12/12/12 by the way, i should mention. appreciate you watching as always. terrell brown in new york city. thank you, everybody. have a great day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

and i'm michelle griego. tis 4:-- the rain is back and with i. some massive tides! here's good morning. it's wednesday, 12/12/12. i'm frank mallicoat. >> i'm michelle griego. time now is just about 4:30. the rain is back and high tides. >> got some showers out there and hi-def doppler is picking up on some of that. you can see some scattered light showers at this time. but more of that on the way, maybe some snow. we'll talk about that coming up. >> here's a live look at the nimitz as you past the oakland coliseum. coming up, we'll talk about roadwork where it could slow you down in just a few minutes. people in portland, oregon are reeling with grief after a shooting at a mall. three pool are dead including the gunman. another person was seriously injured. the gunman struck